


The Pendragon King

by Clea2011



Series: Pornalot 2017 entries [4]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Canon Era, Enemies to Lovers, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-02
Updated: 2017-09-02
Packaged: 2018-12-22 17:29:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 722
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11972193
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Clea2011/pseuds/Clea2011
Summary: “So,” Merlin sighed.  “I suppose you’re going to kill me now?”





	The Pendragon King

**Author's Note:**

> This was my mid-week bonus entry for week 1 of Pornalot. It was for the prompt 'enemies to lovers'. It's also filling my hc bingo square 'wild card'.

“So,” Merlin sighed.  “I suppose you’re going to kill me now?”

Uther stared down the valley at the smoking ruins.  Only moments ago that had been an entire army.  Merlin had wiped them out in a single stroke.  All of them.  Every last one.  They’d had a sorcerer, supposedly undefeatable.  Yet Arthur’s manservant had raised his hand just once and the feared man of magic was gone.

Another stood in his place.  So small and insignificant compared to the power he could wield.

“I should,” Uther told him.  “I’m not sure I could.”

Merlin stuck his chin out defiantly.  Such a childish gesture from one so powerful.  “You could try.”

There was, Uther realised, something quite delicious about his son’s manservant.  He licked suddenly dry lips, appreciating the young man before him.  Arthur probably hadn’t even noticed it.  Ah, Arthur…

“I’m not a fool.  I didn’t get to be king by not recognising when I cannot win.  Does my son know?”

“About my magic?  You’d think so, the number of times I’ve saved him.  But no.  He’s oblivious.  So you can’t accuse him of treason too.”

“I wouldn’t.”

Always protecting Arthur.  Arthur, who was still so young, so untried.  Perhaps one day he would be a great king, and nobody hoped for that more than Uther, but that day was a long way off.  And Merlin’s power was here, now.  Ripe for the taking.  Merlin could destroy a kingdom.

Merlin could build a kingdom.

“Perhaps I don’t want you dead either,” Uther continued.  “You could be more use to me alive.  You and I… two powerful men… we could rule the world.”

There it was.  That flash of interest.  Uther had seen it before in the man.  It had always been directed at his son, and never so strongly as it was now.  Ah, but Arthur wasn’t the king.  Wouldn’t be the king for a long, long time.  Just how patient was Merlin for that power, that authority?

Perhaps, if Uther played his cards right, Arthur would never need to be the king at all.  Who knew what magic like this could do?  But Merlin remained silent, regarding him carefully.

“A powerful sorcerer sitting at my side,” Uther continued.  “That man could change the world if he wanted to.  I would… _favour_ him.  Other kingdoms would have no choice but to succumb to us.”

“And the sorcerer?” Merlin asked, moving closer.  “Would he have to succumb as well?”

He didn’t sound disinterested.  And those blue eyes that had so recently turned molten gold were now dark.  Power attracted power, after all.

“If he so desired.  The world would be ours for the taking.  I imagine there is little he would do then that he didn’t desire”

“Desire is a powerful motivator,” Merlin agreed.  “But I have a destiny.”

Uther had heard whispers of this.  “Ah yes.  The legend of Emrys and the once and future king.  I assume you are Emrys?”

Merlin inclined his head, once, in assent.  “It’s what the druids call me.”

“Hmm.  Emrys and the Pendragon king. But who told you that king had to be Arthur?”

There it was, the doubt that Uther had been looking for. 

“Someone who is no friend of yours.  But the druids claim I have that destiny too.  A destiny to return magic to the world.”

“And indeed you do,” Uther told him, his voice low now.  Magic could return, if it was under his control.  Victory was near, he could sense it.  That dark hair, those fine cheekbones… those vivid, intelligent eyes.  How could he ever have gifted this precious creature to his son?  “We both do, if you choose it.”

“And if I don’t?”

Merlin was close enough to touch.  Uther reached out and took his hand, drawing him near.  He knew that he was dicing with death.  What he’d just seen this young man do in defence of Camelot… it should be terrifying.

Instead it was the most powerful aphrodisiac.  Uther had never, ever wanted anyone so much.  And he could see in Merlin’s eyes that in accepting his magic like this, in treating him like the precious jewel in the Pendragon crown that he would become, that feeling was reciprocated.

“I don’t think that’s any concern of ours,” Uther purred. 

He closed the distance between them with a kiss.


End file.
